For 40 years George Carlin has been making people look at life in a new way — and making them laugh in the process. This year, Carlin’s 60th birthday, saw HBO devote an entire week in February to George Carlin specials, and saw the release of a new video, George’s Best Stuff. In May, a collection of Carlin’s remembrances and thoughts, Brain Droppings, will be published.

Carlin grew up in Hell’s Kitchen on Manhattan’s West Side to Irish American parents Patrick and Mary Carlin. The acclaimed comedian says he was born Catholic, but abandoned it as soon as possible. He also says he had nine years of education, and also abandoned that as soon as possible.

After a brief stint on radio in the late 50s, Carlin hit the nightclub circuit with partner Jack Burns. Carlin &Burns stayed together for two years, and their anti-establishment satirical act was the springboard for Carlin’s later success.

In 1965, Carlin began to receive TV exposure, and he released his first album in 1967. During the first half of the 70s, Carlin recorded four successive gold albums for Little David Records, and ten of his albums were nominated for Grammys. With the advent of cable TV, Carlin was exposed to greater audiences, primarily through HBO, Home Box Office, for which he recorded several shows. In 1990 his Doin’ It Again won a Cable ACE Award, the industry’s highest honor, and Carlin himself was nominated for an Emmy for his performance. The CD from the show won him the 1993 Grammy award for best spoken-word comedy album.

In 1994, Carlin had his own show on Fox TV. The George Carlin Show ran for 27 episodes before its cancellation, but probably his best-known TV work was for PBS on the acclaimed children’s show, Shining Time Station, for which Carlin taped 45 episodes.

Ten years ago, Carlin was awarded a star on Hollywood’s Walk of Fame. “I hope no one throws up on it,” he said.